The sport of rock climbing is becoming more popular as a means of recreation. In order to develop the necessary skills to participate in this sport, many individuals practice on a simulation device that typically includes a climbing wall containing a plurality of man made climbing holds fastened thereto. Climbing of these man made walls has also become a sport of its own, with walls being designed to accommodate the various skill levels of climbers. In the United States, climbers use a standard rating system to describe the difficulty of different routes. There are six classes in this system, ranging from class one (normal walking) through hiking, scrambling and then climbing at class five. Generally “rock climbing” falls in class five. Class six climbing is climbing on rock walls that are so smooth there is no way to climb them without artificial aids (i.e. special climbing ladders or equipment). Class five climbing is climbing without using the equipment to ascend, but instead utilizing the equipment for protection from a fall. Within class five there are currently fifteen different levels that break down in the following manner: 5.0 through 5.4—beginner level which is easy to climb, like a ladder. 5.5 through 5.7—intermediate level which is climbable in normal shoes or boots but requiring more skill. 5.8 through 5.10—experienced level, which generally requires climbing shoes, experience and strength. 5.11 through 5.12—expert level that perhaps only the top 10% of climbers in the world can climb these routes. 5.13 and up is the elite level which can only be climbed by the best of the best.
The basic premise behind rock climbing is extremely simple. The climber is trying to climb from the bottom to the top of a rock wall or artificial climbing wall. If that was all there were to it, then the climber would need nothing but his or her body and a good pair of climbing shoes. However, safety issues arise in the sport if the climber slips anywhere along the way. Because of the possibility of falling, rock climbing involves a great deal of highly specialized equipment to catch climbers when they fall.
Part of the specialized equipment used on artificial rock walls includes climbing holds. Climbing holds often referred to as handholds, are grabbed and stepped on by a climber in order to ascend the wall. It is important for the holds to be rigidly secured to the climbing wall in order to prevent the hold from moving under the weight of a climber. Also, climbing holds come in a variety of configurations in order to simulate movement patterns in climbing. Such holds are typically formed of synthetic material such as a polyester resin or polyurethane, but may also be natural materials such as wood or rock.
There are two conventional types of climbing walls that are used to simulate rock climbing activity. The first type of climbing wall includes a substantially vertical climbing surface that has a rock like texture (See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,058 to Savigny, “Artificial climbing wall with modular rough surface”, Oct. 19, 1993). The shape, angle (degree of overhang), or texture of the climbing wall determines the level of difficulty associated with maneuvering over this type of climbing wall. The second type of climbing wall includes rock-like hand and foot holds that are attached to a normal (i.e., substantially smooth) wall (See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,877 to Brewer, “Simulated climbing wall,” Jun. 30, 1992). There are two ways to adjust the level of difficulty associated with maneuvering about this type of climbing wall. First, the location of the holds on the wall vary according the level of skill of a particular climber. Second, the shape of the individual holds can be modified in order to make them easier or more difficult to grasp.
Using artificial climbing walls to simulate outdoor rock climbing activity is well known. Artificial climbing walls provide rock-climbing enthusiasts with the opportunity to simulate outdoor rock climbing activity at an easily accessible location. The climbing holds are normally attached to a wall using bolts or threaded fasteners. The climbing holds are typically of varying shapes and textures that affect the level of skill required to maneuver on the climbing wall. In particular, climbing walls that have a minimal number of holds are harder to climb or ascend and make it harder to reach the top of the wall. Another factor affecting the level of skill required to maneuver on the climbing wall is the position of the climbing holds on the climbing wall. The closer the climbing holds are positioned relative to one another, the more climbing holds there are available for grasping by a climber as the climber maneuvers on the climbing wall.
There are many factors that affect the price of an artificial climbing wall, including the size of the wall, the type of wall, geographical location, and site and accessibility issues. Materials for the artificial climbing wall, steel framework, engineering, installation, equipment rental, handholds and top anchors also affect the cost of artificial climbing walls. Furthermore, climbing equipment such as ropes, harnesses, belay devices, landing surfaces and training are aspects the artificial climbing wall installer or purchaser must think about as well.
Three factors that impact how large an artificial climbing wall can be are the budget available, the size of space available, and the number of climbers to accommodate. For example, assume there are 6 linear feet of climbing wall per route or climbing line. Therefore, if there are 5 climbers to accommodate, there will be 30 feet linear (horizontal) feet of wall necessary. Assuming the space is 28 feet tall, multiplying the length times the height times a factor of 1.2 will give the approximate total square feet of climbing surface. Therefore, 30 feet long multiplied by 28 feet tall multiplied by 1.2 gives 1008 square feet of total climbing surface area.
It is a common misconception that the amount of space needed to build an artificial climbing wall is simply the amount of space necessary to house the wall. The space for the framing of the wall, the ability to get behind the wall for access, and the space needed in the foreground (in front of the wall) for someone to “fall” is also important. In the climbing wall industry typically a “swing radius” from each anchor point is calculated to determine how much space is needed in front of the wall for a protective landing surface. First, to calculate the swing radius, the amount of overhang for each top rope anchor (the distance the top anchor sits in front of the base of the wall) must be determined. Second, that overhang distance is multiplied by 2.25. This determines the distance a person could swing out from the wall when they fall while being tied to a top-rope.
Prior art climbing walls utilize large amounts of raw materials (i.e., steel and plywood) that can make installation slow and expensive. In particular, prior art climbing walls use angle irons around the periphery of plywood wall panels to attach them to a frame. This “perimeter framing” technique makes the wall heavy and not easy to deconstruct in the event of reconfiguration of the wall panels. The present invention overcomes this and other problems associated with the prior art.